Friday, May 04, 2007

wip, cookie of the week

I feel as if I have been knitting for miles on my Hanne. I timed it, and each ridge (2 rows) takes me 20 minutes! That is only 3 ridges per hour! I am bound and determined to finish this project, I just have to get it off of my needles. I am actually so tired of working on it. When that happens, I usually give myself some sort of deadline ( I know, a little weird) so I have given myself one more week. I am putting down the paint brush, the staple gun and will try to put the sewing machine out of sight in order to complete this. Hey, I may even have to pull an all-knitter, as my husband calls them!

I wanted to show you how this is worked. It is knit in all one piece with very little finishing, only sewing the sleeve. That is my favorite things about this. When you are finished knitting, you are practically ready to wear it. The right front, front bands and wrist bands are what is left for me to knit. Which doesn't sound like a lot, but on size 3 needles, it is!

Libby chose our cookie of the week. Vanilla Blondies. Someone (Ms. Anonymous) left a comment on my last cookie of the week, asking if I used butter or shortening. If the recipe calls for butter or margarine, I always use butter. I tried this recipe with a non-hydrogenated shortening by Earth Balance, purchased from whole foods. They were delicious. Thanks Ms. Anonymous for giving me the idea!

~

Vanilla Blondies

1/2 cup butter or shortening

1/2 bag of vanilla chips

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups bread flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vanilla baking chips

Lightly grease 13*9 baking pan. In a small saucepan, combine butter and 1/2 bag of vanilla chips, melt over med heat, stirring constantly, remove from heat, and cool slightly. Transfer to mixing bowl, stir in sugars and vanilla, add eggs, one at a time, add flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chips. Spread evenly in pan. bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

28 comments:

i hope your kids realize how lucky they are to have a mom like you! when i was a kid, my mom HATED making cookies, so they were a rare treat. i only wish i had enough room to bake cookies every week, but in 10 months i will when i move!hanne looks AMAZING. just keep at it. think how great it will look once finished and then you can start something totally different!

i didnt get a chance to comment on your vanity - i absolutely love it - and the jewlery disply too. whats weird is that this is the 2nd time this week that i've heard someone talking about the color "silver sage" - i'm going to have to check it out!

I always use butter, too, but Earth Balance sounds interesting. I know what you mean about setting deadlines for projects that have reached the boredom stage. It's the only way to knit! Have a great weekend.

I guess if you made me those lovely cookies for a week you could convince me to knit such a big project on size #3 needles. I admire your courage and determination for that AND of course, your baking! You're kids are lucky. Have a great weekend.

I feel you on the never ending project. . . if it helps, it looks really cool and I am excited to see it finished AND the bonus of almost no finishing is you get to wear it almost immediately. I am with you on the BUTTER thang. I use butter almost exclusively in my baking. It is just better. Those Blondies look delish! You now I'll make 'em.

I think you should stop knitting tomorrow night around 7:30 and join us for a Cinco De Mayo party! Maybe I'll even make your cookies for desert. Ummmm...maybe that's too much...margarita's, guacamole and lemon squares????

Anonymous here! Thanks for letting me know how you adapt your recipes. BTW, I can't believe how much progress you've made on the sweater. It's beautiful! I would have an identity, but I can't seem to update my blog...so I suppose I'm an expert lurker...

You know it has gone too far when you tire of knitting garter stitch. Pop a good movie (or two or three) or an HBO series in the dvd player, bring on the tea and knit. I have promised myself a Hanne kit. I think I need to knit three or four stash sweaters to justify one and it is may and narry a sweater. Doesn't look good. Yours is so beautiful, making it all the harder to resist!

Love the sweater-it's gorgeous!My husband likes to make up knitting jokes too: He was telling a friend of mine how knitting has become a way of life for me and thought he was so funny when he coined the phrase S.O.C.K.: Spouses of Crocheters and Knitters...He thought he might start a local chapter or support group....